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"First in line for Android Updates"

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"Battery gets drained with new software version"

Still one of the best choices when it comes to a budget tablet!

Don't get fooled by the price, Google Nexus 7 is a very powerful machine, capable of handling high requirement games and meet your entertainment demands. I've been using it for more than one year and there was not a single app that was not supported by this device. Eventually i've changed it, always thinking about getting a bigger screen tablet and it was a bad decision. Not only this new tablet (which is more recent) couldn't handle software that was easily handled on Nexus but also had a worst performance when dealing with full hd content.

I am confident to say that while i was looking for a new tablet i realised that not many tablets can compete with Nexus 7, and the ones who can have a much higher price than this one!

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"Slow to re-charge"

"Camera in a very silly position"

"Missing a few essential apps that should be installed as default"

"Slow to start up"

A nice little tablet that does most of what you'd want it to do

This isn't the tablet I would necessarily have chosen, but it was given to me by work (and I have subsequently hardly used it for anything work-related. That that, The Man!). It's actually pretty good.

The image quality on it is very good, although at seven inches I find it a bit too small to want to watch videos on. It has a decent amount of memory (13GB) which I'm on no danger of filling up. It's a sturdy little thing, and slim enough to fit in an inside jacket pocket (for that reason, I haven't bought a case for it, although I do have a scratch resistant coating for the screen).

You can get a good range of apps for it, and installing them through the Play Store is extremely easy. I like the way you can swipe your finger over the keyboard instead of typing (although it seems squeamish about letting me write swear words that way). The internet is fast, and works well even with a signal that isn't very strong.

There are a few annoyances. It takes ages to turn on (especially since the upgrade to Android 5). When you start it up, any apps you had open when you shut it down open again automatically. This is no doubt meant to be helpful, but it feels like it's one of the things slowing it down. The battery life is OK (although certain apps burn through it more quickly), but it takes ages to recharge.

Notably, the tablet's camera faces the same way as the screen. So it's great for taking selfies, but not much use for anything else, as you can't see what you're photographing. The quality of images on the camera isn't great, although I don't know how it compares to other tablets. Weirdly, it doesn't come with a camera app installed, you have to download one before you can use the camera (there are several to choose from). The same is true of a voice recorder app – the sound quality on recordings is pretty good, but why not install an app for it as default?

Sometimes the tablet will randomly disconnect itself from my home web connection and randomly try to connect to the neighbours' (password protected) one. I can't imagine why that would be useful. And the three buttons at the bottom of the screen, used for navigating, aren't always as responsive as I'd like.

But those few small niggles don't detract from what is otherwise a pretty decent little tablet. I use it more for games and personal emails than for work, but that's fine. If you're looking for a small tablet, this isn't a bad choice.

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Great, handy little tablet!

I purchased my Google Nexus 7 just over a year ago, and I find it really handy to just carry around with me when I am out and about, or even just in the house.

I find that it is a good size to slip in a handbag and light enough to carry around which is great for me, especially when travelling for work. I even took it on holiday with me, which was great with all of the apps that are available! On holiday, I used it for the Kindle app, Skyping home (and showing off our stunning views!) and also for writing my diary of what we had been up to during the day - definitely handy for all of this!

One thing that isn't so good is that it sometimes runs really slowly - I'm not sure if this is because I have quite a lot of things on it these days, but it can take a few seconds to "wake up" or to recognise a "swipe" on the screen. Another slight disadvantage is that if you leave the wifi on, it seems to drain the battery really quickly - but this is easily resolved by just making sure wifi is off when you don't actually need it!

I also find it really difficult to take a screenshot on it, as it requires pressing buttons at exactly the same time which I always struggle with for some reason!

However, the quality of the screen is great, and really clear. Also, working through the Play store as mine does, there are LOTS of apps available, and I love that I can sync certain ones (Kindle for example) between my other devices.

Overall, would recommend for general use and for out and about, but perhaps not for anyone who would be relying on it to use in place of a laptop if needed for more work or such.

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"Good value "

"Good resolution"

"Strong screen"

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"No expandable memory"

"Camera not great"

I love my Google Nexus 7 2013 32Gb

As the name suggests, the screen is a full 7 inches and boasts a clear and vivid display which is perfect for watching videos on! The screen is also very strong as at uses Gorilla Glass 2, which means that it is scratch resistant and harder to crack upon dropping - something which I am notorious for!

The tablet itself is lightweight and fits comfortably in one hand on either landscape or portrait position, and it’s easy to hold. The volume, on and off buttons are located on the right hand side. Speakers are at the top and the bottom of the back of the tablet, allowing for even sound distribution. The tablet has 2 cameras, at the top of the front and back of the tablet. The charger port can be found in the middle of the bottom of the tablet. It also comes with a standard headphone jack located at the top right. Overall, I feel that the design complements the tablet; it''''s sleek, expertly proportioned and well balanced.

I found that the tablet was very easy to use and get used to. The onboard keyboard comes with autocorrect and even has the option to use Swype. The main home screen contains 5 different ''''pannel'''' screens, all customisable for your apps, which can be accessed by swiping left or right. The top of each screen contains a ''''notification'''' bar and ''''status'''' bar.

The current operating system is Android 4.4.4 (latest - June 2014). Check out gsmarena for an up to date spec - http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_google_nexus_7_(2013)-5600.php

This device comes with an absolute ton of useful time saving apps! It comes with the standard calendar, calculator, Youtube, Google Chrome browser, email services and loads more that you would expect to find on any device. It also comes with some great extra apps, such as ''''Keep'''' which is a really useful memo application, and my favourite stock app, Google Now.

One of the most disappointing features of the Nexus 7 would be the cameras.The back camera is 5MP, but looks incredibly grainy on the large screen, the front camera is 1.2MP as has the same issue.One of the things I love about the onboard Camera application is the ''''Photo Sphere'''' feature which allows you to take photos of people, places, rooms etc, but you can take the photos in a complete 360 view!

In comparison to my smart phone, the battery life on this tablet is very good, and I can normally get about 5 or 6 hours of viewing time without needed to connect it to a charger. When surfing the web I can get a full day out of it without the need to charge.

Overall, I have enjoyed owning and using this tablet, and the only thing I can complain about is the camera. I personally keep my tablet in a case so I don’t damage it, because I take it away on trips and to classes etc. Highly recommended

Edited Review from my account on Ciao(same username)

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Great buy camera not the best but all other features and ease of use make up for it

I have had my nexus for just over a year and it has been a well worth purchase. I looked at a few tablets and this came up with the right functionality at the right cost. I was originally looking for a larger screen but after using it I find that the screen is just right for what u need. I watch movies and find the picture quality is good and it is also perfect for games and surfing the internet. I have even considered trading in my iPhone to get the nexus as I love the way it operates. It is light in weight and easy to hold. I bought a 2nd one for my 15 year old son as I was so impressed with the value for money. He plays games and listens to music on it. All in all great buy. Would recommend to anyone looking for a tablet to watch movies on and surf the net.

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I've been using this generation of Nexus 7 for a year and a half already, and while not an Android tablet flagship device anymore it is still holding well.Official KitKat update is available for it, CPU withstands all the modern Android applications and GPU still runs Android top notch games. Available device memorz also still allows fluid multitasking.As time went by, this front runner among Android tablets became high quality replacement for the buyers of the cheap Android tablets.

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Great little 7" tablet

I have owned this tablet for about a year and a half now, and it is still as speedy as when I bought it.

If your into gaming, android games such as Nova and Modern Combat run great on the device - with good graphics and minimal lag. The device is also perfectly sized for gaming, it is not too large or heavy and as such controls are easily reached.

For web browsing the nexus is also good, nice size and text is clearly legible. Only downside is that there is no flash available, meaning a fair bit of website content will remain unavailable.

Being a google device it runs the latest version of android and is regularly updated unlike some other devices.

The sound quality from the speakers is generally quite good, but after the volume goes beyond 2/3 of the max it becomes distorted.

Overall a nice little device.

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Cheap and small but very powerful!

At £200 this device is a high-end performing tablet while only being a fraction of the cost of the other competitors. It has a 7 inch screen encased in a beautifully sleek plastic casing. It grips in the hand well and is light enough to be comfortably held in one/two hands while using it. The build quality is excellent and I cannot find any faults with the design of the device.

It runs Android 4.4 KitKat and its quad core processor allows it to run all of the games that I throw at it! I rarely experience any lag while running even the most graphically intensive games such as Deadtrigger and Real Racing 3. It is easily capable of streaming videos from the internet and the screen size is perfect for viewing movies while commuting as it doesn't take up too much space!

The battery life is good lasting about 10 hours while just browsing and checking emails occasionally although if you like to play games or browse a lot then you will need to charge it a lot more often. However, I normally get away with one charge a day if I use it sparingly.

Overall, this is a great buy if you are looking for a small but powerful tablet although be ware that you will have to charge it often if you use it a lot.

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if you want the best 7 inch tablet on the market , you've found it

firstly when looking at tablets what you want depends on what you're using it for. I received this tablet as a gift, like many others I use my smart phone for surfing the net, shopping online, taking photos and playing games. I basically wanted I larger screen and a longer battery life than my smartphone. Boy was I wrong, I wanted the nexus 7!! It is so much better than I expected. Its quad core processor is fast, perfect for shopping online or streaming Netflix, iplayer etc. its light and portable and the battery life is about 11 hours (6 hours under heavy use ie watching tv and playing games). its screen though is where it impresses amazing perfect for movies and youtube!The camera is quite good not that you'll be using it much as the tablets a bit too large and cumbersome for too many still shots. its finish and looks are not as impressive as say Samsung or apple but I do think with any piece of tech its what under the hood so to speak that you're after and when you compare the price its a simple choice. only downsides are 1. it doesn't come with an sd card slot so go for the 32gb one if you download a load of stuff2. I have this running kitkat android 4.4 . and anything above 4.2 wont allow flashplayer so many websites that use flash player will not work properly on this device. its googles way of forcing html5 on people so hopefully soon most websites will upgrade (basically the videos on certain sites don't load because their software is too outdated, see it as your machine is just really advanced if you want)

to sum up I would say if you're after a 7 inch tablet this is the best i've used if you're after something bigger try the galaxy note or nexus 10

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Nice - but do you really need one?

I was given the Nexus 7 as a gift.

There are 2 sections to this review - the unit itself and personal views on the servicing arrangements.

It is robust if a little chunky, however the touch screen is a delight to use - easy accurate touch (unlike some tablets) and the default layouts are intuitive, although they are customisable. The unit is easily portable, however I do recommend a case.

The graphics and display are first class, perfectly suitable for viewing video, film and photographs. The myriad of apps you can download all seem to work well, and the wifi connection is good and easy (at least in my house. It is nice to see a unit that doesn't come with masses of bloat ware that you will never use.

The main plus point to me is the internet connection and Google Chrome - smooth and easy, and with the seven inch screen, large enough to view most webpages and buttons - if not, can be easily enlarged with a swipe. This is a real plus point for me - the nexus is far lighter than a netbook, and the screen far bigger than a phone.

There are however issues - it does not come with a proper camera (there is a webcam which is OK) - if this is what you want, then there are far better tablets out there. Another issue is the battery life and charging. The battery life seems to drain very quickly, and it can take an age to recharge - even when turned off. In fact if i use it whilst charging, the Nexus drains quicker than the charge going in.

Would I recommend it? Yes - but only if you take into account that everything it does can be accomplished with an E-reader, phone and laptop. I am still pleased with mine, though to be honest I use it mainly to play games or access the internet in the evening when I don't want to carry round my laptop.

A word of warning - my original unit was faulty (unresponsive and jumpy screen). As it was a gift i did not have proof of purchase. I contacted Asus and this was sorted out, although they take the warranty back to the date of manufacture. They advertise a 1 week turn round on repairs under warranty - this is the time on site with them - the courier service to 3 days on either side. To be fair, they replaced the unit and everything is now fine. The only niggle is that if it was tested when it arrives as they state and the issue described is a known issue, why did it take a week to send out a replacement?

Water under the bridge now, and I am happy with the Nexus subject to the caveats above.

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Best buy of the year for me

Google Nexus 7

First of all I want to apologise for my lack of technical knowledge! I am really just reviewing this from the point of view of someone who does use things like this but doesn't know anything about technical specifications, speeds/sizes of computers, etc...I just like going on the Internet, playing games and looking at pretty things.

Back in October I received the Google Nexus 7 as a (very!) early Christmas present. I'd wanted a tablet for a while and after reading reviews and trying a few out I narrowed it down to two; the iPad mini and the Google Nexus 7. The latter won due to price, it costs significantly less than the iPad mini and I hadn't been able to properly justify what made the iPad so much more expensive - apart from the Apple brand (I appreciate there are probably other things about the iPad which are better but just nothing I care about enough!)

I've had my tablet a few months now and my hand has nearly morphed into the shape of me holding it as I'm constantly on it. I only really wanted a tablet for playing games and browsing the internet but I'm finding myself doing more and more things that I would usually do on the desktop computer, on my tablet.

Looks

The Google Nexus 7 is called this due to it being 7 inches in size. It's a good size and I much prefer this kind of size tablet, as opposed to the larger ones such as the full size iPad. It's big enough for the screen to be really clear and easy to see, but still small enough that I can just hold it in one hand and easily travel with it. It is a simple design, with most of the tablet being taken up by the screen, the back of it is plain black, although I soon rectified that with a colourful clip-on case (of which there were thousands to choose from on the internet).

Usage

I find the Google Nexus 7 easy and enjoyable to use. As I mentioned the size is perfect for me to hold in one hand and this makes it easy to sit and casually browse/play games whilst travelling/watching TV/etc. This week I applied for a job on the tablet which was great as it was much less boring than just sitting at a computer for hours writing the application, every night I just filled in a few bits whilst watching TV/eating my tea and then I was able to just check it thoroughly on the PC once I was done and submit it.

Battery wise - I do seem to charge it every day, however I think this is more down to the massive amount of usage this tablet gets, rather than the battery being poor. If I just used it for an hour or so a day and actually remember to switch it off in between uses then it would last much longer.

Camera

The camera is front facing, so whilst it's great for a cheeky 'selfie' it's not ideal for taking pictures of other people/things. I am slightly disappointed about this but it's not the end of the world. The camera quality is not bad, it's not excellent but I'm pleased enough with it. To be honest the fact the camera is front facing is the one and only thing I don't like about the Nexus, but the newer version that came out in 2013 solves this problem by having two cameras (one on each side).

I really couldn't work out how to take pictures when I first got the Nexus because basically there's a camera but there isn't a camera app so you have to get one. There are loads to choose from in the Google Play store and most are free so this wasn't an issue.

Browser

This is Google Chrome, which I normally use on my computer, and find to be reliable and fast and rarely crashes.

Apps/downloads

All apps for this tablet can be bought in the Google Play Store, and so far I have found every app that I've wanted ( I thought some of them may be available for Apple only but this hasn't been an issue). There are thousands of games, books, magazines and other useful apps such as camera/organiser/etc. which are available - many of which are free and some of which can be bought.

Library

The tablet came with a couple of free magazines/books and then there are plenty more for me to choose from in the Google Play store. Personally I don't do a lot of reading on the Nexus as I much prefer a good book but I did read the free books that came with it. Mainly because one of them was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland which I haven't read for a long time! The screen is good for reading as it's nice and clear and a decent size. It's easy to zoom in and turn pages too.

Over all verdict

Over all, I definitely think of this as a fabulous purchase. It's one of my favourite gadgets and I love the fact I can do pretty much everything I need to on it yet I can hold it in one hand. I've not experienced any issues at all and I really hope it lasts a long time as I'd be a bit stuck without it now! I think it's a great quality item and at a reasonable price so I'd definitely recommend it. As I said before the only thing I maybe don't like is the camera being on the front. It would be good if the battery lasted longer too but then again I think if I used it a normal amount then the battery wouldn't seem as bad.

Price and availability

I think this tablet is excellent value for money for how good it is. It varies in price but mine was about £150. It is available in lots of places such as Argos, Amazon, Asda and Currys. As I mentioned there is now a newer model but this one is still readily available in many outlets both online and in-store.

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Great 7" tablet for those on a table

The Google Nexus 7 made by Asus is Google's first foray into the tablet market, shortly followed by the Nexus 10. It comes equipped with 1GB RAM and a Quad core 1.3Ghz CPU and a Nvidia Tegra 3 GPU. The tablet is available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities and has a 1280 x 800 screen resolution.

First off, the tablet runs well with no noticeable slowdown. Initially it had a few issues with apps and system freezes but these were soon remedied by firmware updates. The Nexus 7 offers a big budget tablet experience at a budget price in a small form factor that never feels clumsy to hold, unlike its larger screen brethren.

The Tegra 3 GPU allows it to power through more intensive applications and games , such as Dead Trigger, going so far as to feature exclusive graphical upgrades courtesy of it's Tegra GPU.

The original Nexus 7 has now been replaced by the 2013 version, which features improved screen resolution, beefier processor and a Tegra 4 GPU. However, due to the so called obsolescence of the previous years models, the 2012 Nexus 7 is now available at a significantly reduced price as stores look to clear any remaining stock. The previously £199 model can now be found for £129 if you shop around. So at that price level, it really is an outstanding tablet that offers a lot for the money so long as you don't need the newest version. For internet browsers, ebook readers and general app users, there is no need to upgrade to the newer model. So save yourself £70+ and get this.

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Very pleased with this purchase and would recommend as a great alternative to pricey iPads!

I bought a Nexus to take with me on my round the world trip so that I could watch movies and read e-books on long journeys and do research wherever there was wifi. Originally I decided on the Nexus because it was cheaper than other tablets available on the market and I was apprehensive about spending lots of money on it incase it got stolen or damaged in transit. In hindsight though I'm extremely pleased I decided on the Nexus versus the iPad or other more pricey models because it absolutely does the job! Having used an iPad Mini fairly recently I honestly believe that (unless you're super-techy) the only reason you're paying extra is to be a part of the Apple trend - something which I don't consider to be worth an additional £100.

The Nexus uses the Android operating system which is slick, smooth and easy to navigate. There have been very few occasions where I've wanted to download an app which isn't yet available on Android and as I have an Apple iPhone I haven't found this to be a major issue.

The model itself is lightweight and the perfect size to fit in your handbag (or in my case backpack!)

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The device is still a superb choice for just $220

When I first held the original Nexus 7, I felt it was a small chubby. At 10 mm thick and over 300 grams, it just didn't appear to me as a premium slate. The very first-gen Nexus 7 had a decent quantity of bezel approximately its show, too. Of course, for the price you still got a great deal on this device but these were among the most obvious design trade-offs to keep the price below $200.

With the 2013 Nexus 7 my opinion has completely changed. The device is wonderfully constructed, and gives no indication of its affordability. It's thin, it's comfortable, it's light, and there's an ideal quantity of bezel around the display. Furthermore, the mixture of tough scratch-resistant glass and soft-touch plastic makes the Nexus 7 physically feel really nice when you're holding it, but equally tough: there's no flex within the build at all.

From the instant I powered on the new Nexus 7, I knew the refreshed model would easily be the best 7-inch Android tablet you can buy. With an incredible 1080p display that's ideal for gaming, reading and video watching, plus a design that's slimmer and lighter than last year's model, Asus clearly knows how to refine their designs to supply a solid tablet.

Although the Nexus 7 has only an average camera, no expandable storage and a selection of tablet apps that doesn't quite cut it up against the iOS App Store, the device is still a superb choice. For just $220 you're netting yourself a premium-quality system at a fantastic price, making it hard to pass up for anyone considering a portable, multimedia tablet.

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near perfect device

For £159 i think this was my purchase and deal of the year last year. It is a quality product and does everything you would want a tablet for and more!. I have used both Android and IOS devices in the past and have always preferred iOS devices because they run better with less crashes and problems, however, the nexus 7 changed my mind it gives me a perfect experience with little or not problems maybe it that it was manufactured by Asus for Google working along side them with the software/hardware.

It was easy to setup the Google apps to sync with calenders my Gmail account contacts and documents. I watched 2 hours of video and played games for another two hours and the device still had 70% battery which is loads in comparison to how power hungry those applications are on other devices.

You can't go wrong with a nexus 7 I used to only buy apple products but Google tick all the boxes with this at a cheaper price and it still feels like a premium product. The smaller form factor is really nice and its seems the perfect size not too big and not too small.